Numbers 10 Commentary

The final preparation for leaving Sinai was to institute the blowing of two silver trumpets. They were to be used to gather the people together and to signal the time for the Israelites to begin the next step of their journey and when to prepare for war.

At last, it was time for the Israelites to leave Sinai and begin their journey to the land of Canaan. The signal for them to move out was the movement of the cloud from its place over the tabernacle.

Verses 14 – 28 describe the order by which the tribes were to leave Sinai. It was the same order as described in Numbers 2:2 – 31. It began with the tribe of Judah, then the tearing down of the tabernacle was done. The other tribes followed in the order established by the LORD. The arrangement of the tribes around the tabernacle was discussed in Numbers 3:3 – 31. Also, the leaders of the tribes are named for the fourth time in the book of Numbers in this section. 

Verses 29 – 32 contain the description of something that happened sometime before the Israelites departed Mount Sinai. It involved Moses trying to convince his brother-in-law Hobab to join the Israelites in their journey to Canaan. At first, Hobab declines the offer, but then he agrees to go with the Israelites after being persuaded by Moses.

Verses 33 – 36 give an account of the first leg of the journey from Mount Sinai. It was a three-day trek. The ark led the way on their journey. The cloud guided them as to when they were to move during the day and when they needed to camp for the night. Moses also composed two prayers, one for when they departed from a place and another for when they camped.